Is This Really What Home Buyers Want To See?

That’s the first thing my client said to me when I walked in the door on our second meeting.  He was thinking I was crazy I could tell.

We’d met earlier in the week and I had given him a list of “to do” items – mostly removing extra furniture, decluttering and I was now returning with art and decor to stage his home.

These rooms look bare and boring.  I can’t believe this is really what home buyers want to see.

It’s a difficult shift to go from living in a home to preparing it for the masses to view. What do home buyers want to see?

How we live in our homes and how we market them for sale is two different things.  I’ve met very few people who can be totally objective about their own homes.  Homes are more than just wood and nails — it’s our haven, safe place, our sanctuary.  However, when home buyers come to visit, they don’t care about your haven — they want it to be THEIR haven. And be the house of their dreams  (not your dreams)!

Mr Client went on his way and we went to work . . .

using what this family had, adding some items from our inventory.

living room before home staging

living room after home staging

Furniture arrangement for home selling?

Using furniture you have in a different way can often be more appealing in photographs

Removing small items makes a big difference when home staging

Decluttered rooms photograph better when home selling

Can't do it everything when preparing to sell?

A few changes, like curtains and art make a huge difference!

Do sellers want to see kitchens as we live?

Or as they wish their kitchen looked every day?

A picture speaks a thousand words and when home selling often can give potential buyers the wrong impression.

Utilizing a professional home stager to maximize a home’s marketability is a important strategy in home selling for 2011.

We were gone before Mr. Client returned so I don’t know what he thought of the changes.

I do know what the real estate agent thought about how this home now appeals to buyers.

Priceless.

Margaret Oscilia is a Professional Home Stager with Creative Concepts – Home Staging and Contracting serving Salem Oregon and surrounding areas who specializing in helping home sellers stage to sell or re-design to live well.

Related Posts:

Can I Afford to Have my Home Staged?

What do buyers think of a staged home?

Selling a home in 2011?  Tips from the Pros

 

Is Your Hobby Killing Your Home Sale?

My job as a professional home stager takes me into over a dozen homes a week and I meet some fantastically creative people along the way.   It is amazing to me the unique things people do, create and collect – a fun part of my job.

All too often I have to tell these clients that their hobbies are going to prevent them from getting a good price for their home.

• The doll collector, whose guest room housed hundreds of dolls,
• the former antique dealer who can’t let go of so many beautiful antique pieces,
• the rock collector – whose every flat surface contained rocks, crystals or agates,
• the quilter, whose fabric collection would be the envy of many small shops
• and the scrapbooker whose papers, punches and cute items have taken over not only the desk, but cabinets, storage bins and more.
• yes – I’ve worked with them all in the past few months and each and every one of them is killing their own home sale.

Sound extreme? If you can answer yes to any of these questions – your hobby (or lifestyle) is killing your home’s quick sale!

Do you have furniture pieces in rooms where they don’t belong?  Desks in the dining room?  File cabinets in the master bedroom?  Collectible cabinets in the guest bedrooms?  Is your bedroom, family room and dining room places of serenity where people can enjoy the space without viewing lots of “________”  (file in your vice – books, model cars, fabric, work piles, etc).

How much is your hobby costing you? If your home remains on the market more than 60 days your agent will probably recommend a price reduction of at least $10,000.  Are you sure you can’t live without your “stuff”?

Home buyers are buying space.

Collections and hobbies take up a lot of space and usually don’t photograph well.

Keep your “stuff” and I guarantee your home will remain on the market longer than necessary.

Time and time again I see that those who pack up their hobbies and get ready to move are able to do so. Their homes sell. Others who drag their feet and tell me they “can’t live” without these things for a few months have homes who remain on the market month after month.

When you’re selling your home, you’re selling a lifestyle too.

And don’t just stuff everything in your garage.  Get a storage unit, pack it off to a friend’s garage, or to mom’s attic.  Potential buyers want to think there is enough storage for all their stuff along with room for their cars in the garage.

The quickest selling homes in 2011 are:

• Priced accurately
• Prepared beautifully
• Presented (marketed) well

Pack it up, and get ready to move.  Take a break or reduce your hobby to a small space.  It will save you time, energy and get it sold!

Margaret Oscilia is a Professional Home Stager with Creative Concepts – Home Staging and Contracting serving Salem Oregon and surrounding areas who specializing in helping home sellers stage to sell or re-design to live well.

Related Posts:

Can I Afford to Have my Home Staged?

What do buyers think of a staged home?

Selling a home in 2011?  Tips from the Pros

Moving or improving? Creative Concepts-Home Staging and Contracting has the expertise to showcase your home’s full potential, stretch your budget, and maximize your time.

Professional Home Staging – Reliable Contractor Repairs – Beautiful Results!

 

Selling Your House is Like Speed Dating . . . Ready? Set?

Most readers have heard of “speed dating”.  An event where singles meet each other for three to five minutes, get an idea of if this person is interesting, and then move on to the next person to see how they compare.  Those of us lacking quick wit or knock-out looks may be intimidated by this dating process.  Nerves may take over and all of a sudden we’re a wall flower at the junior high dance again.  Talk about pressure!

Selling your home in 2011 is a whole lot like speed dating.

This past month our daughter was looking for a property and sent us a list of 45 potential homes to tour.  “Which ones should I see?” In less than an hour my dear hubby had cut the list to five, these were toured and an offer made that day.

Lesson one:  If rooms look cluttered or dated or your photos aren’t great quality – you aren’t ready to sell.  Never mind that everyone’s mom told them not to judge a book by it’s cover — they will.  You wouldn’t show up at for a speed date in your duds from 1995 – looks matter.

Declutter, update and have great photos. (Over 90% of home buyers shop on line).  May sound basic, but if you do, you’ll already be beating out 85% of the competition.  2010 studies showed that listings with great photos sold for more than listings with point and click camera photos.

Lesson two: If you aren’t fascinating, they’re going to move on. People shop for homes with logic – but a home that shows a desirable lifestyle and is easy to “fall in love” with will get more attention.

You may think looking good is enough, but there’s got to be more to hold home buyer’s attention.  Little known factoid:  The average length of a home showing is three to six minutes.

Never mind that you spent more time getting ready for the showing than most women spend giving birth to their first child.  They’re going to be zooming in and out unless you stand out as the best AND tug on their heart strings too.

Lesson Three:  You better have them at hello. Curb appeal, first impressions, call it what you want — but it is key.  Home buying decisions are made within the first 20 seconds of entering a property.

If the outside shows repair issues or is mossy and dirty, a subconscious image of poor maintenance is already forming.  Walk in the front door and I tell my clients this viewpoint is the “big wow”.  If it isn’t that way, we better make it that way.  More important than breath mints on a first date, your first impression needs to be memorable.

Lesson Four: Professional help is affordable and worthwhile. Sometimes we need that older sister to give us a few dating pointers, and maybe your home needs a professional stager who knows the ropes.

A recent survey by Homegain shows a huge return on investment for $$ spent utilizing a stager’s expertise.

Thinking your home can’t stand the pace of a speed date?  A professional home stager has the expertise to transform ordinary to extraordinary.

If you are selling your home in 2011 — you can’t change the market, the competition or your location.  You CAN create a better presentation and your home will attract the attention it deserves!

Margaret Oscilia is a Professional Home Stager with Creative Concepts – Home Staging and Contracting serving Salem Oregon and surrounding areas who specializing in helping home sellers stage to sell or re-design to live well.   Need more tips to help your home become more “lovable”?   Contact Margaret at stagingoregon@gmail.com or 503-881-0886!

 

What Do Home Buyers Think of a “Staged Home”?

As home stagers, we work with real estate agents and home sellers – rarely do we ever talk with the buyers of the homes we stage.  We know the sellers and agents love the look of the staged home (they hired us – of course they are prejudiced!).

But what do home buyers think?

• Do they think it is manipulative?
• Make them suspicious that the sellers are “hiding” something”?

Recently I’ve had the opportunity to meet several of the buyers of the properties that have sold.  They are contacting us because they love the furniture and want to purchase it or find out where to buy items similar.

One home buyer shared this story with me –

When our agent showed us this house we didn’t like it at all and knew it wasn’t for us.  It was beautiful, but didn’t appeal to us.

It was not a house we wanted to consider.

When they first toured, it was white glove clean, like new and vacant.  The floors and custom features of the home are fantastic!  With spacious rooms, you would think it would show well.

The house was staged and they saw the new photos online while they were continuing their house hunt.  The new photos intrigued them and they came to view the home again.

When we saw the house staged, we couldn’t believe it was the same house. 

The house had a totally different “feel” and atmosphere.

We loved how it looked and knew we could make it work for us!

We never would have bought this home if we hadn’t seen it staged.

You might think “these people have no imagination”!  They must be young and inexperienced.  They were older than 60 I’m sure and had bought and sold many homes.

I know the home seller was skeptical about investing in staging – seriously wondering if it was just throwing money away.  Now happy with his choice to stage, he knows the staging costs were minor and key component of selling this beautiful Corvallis home.  If he hadn’t staged this home it could possibly still be on the market!

We’ve heard similar reactions from other buyers – having a home that appeals to a broad number of buyers in2011 leads to offers!  I confess, I see lots of bad staging – most that is done by non-professionals or sellers.  Want buyers to think your home is beautifully staged?

• Avoid having a home look too “cheesy” when staging.  I don’t know many people that have trays with champagne glasses on their beds — this always looks odd to me.  Perhaps a laptop and a book!
• Quality furnishing and decor give a quality look.  We don’t shop at used thrift shops and if you are staging, neither should you.
• Don’t strip the home “bare” because it will appear too stark and not homey.
• A Professional Home Stager’s consultation is affordable and can set you in the right direction so your home has the atmosphere it needs to get sold!

Want more ideas on how to get your home sold quickly and for top dollar? Margaret Oscilia is a Professional Home Stager serving Salem Oregon and surrounding areas who specializing in helping home sellers “stage to sell” or “re-design to live well”.

Moving or improving? Creative Concepts-Home Staging and Contracting has the expertise to showcase your home’s full potential, stretch your budget, and maximize your time.

Professional Home Staging – Reliable Contractor Repairs – Beautiful Results!               503-881-0886         stagingoregon@gmail.com

 

Getting Your House Sold in 2011

How can you sell your home for top dollar in 2011?

Wondering about the real estate market for 2011?  Yesterday our home staging blog featured a video from AOL Real Estate which gave their predictions on the real estate market for 2011 (link below today’s blog).

Here’s another article that caught our attention from the Wall Street Journal.  In addition to pricing right and staging they recommend additional tips home sellers to:

• Provide as much information as possible,
• make it easy to show and to
• be flexible.

It’s a quick read and worthwhile!  While these steps sound easy, home selling is an highly emotional situation and it is hard to be unbiased and detached as you package your home for sale.  Working with professionals you trust –  real estate agents, inspectors and home stagers can make the process smoother and more effective.  Looking for real estate professionals in Oregon?  We’ve worked with many from Corvallis to Portland and are happy to give recommendations for experts who will work hard for you.

Related Posts:

Selling in 2011?  Tips from Pros

Can I Afford to Have my Home Staged?

Does Home Staging Really Help in 2011?

Want to Get Your Home Sold?  Get IN the Market!

Margaret Oscilia is a Professional Home Stager serving Salem Oregon and surrounding areas who specializing in helping home sellers stage to sell or re-design to live well.  Moving or improving? Creative Concepts and Contracting has the expertise to showcase your home’s full potential, stretch your budget, and maximize your time.

Professional Home Staging – Reliable Contractor Repairs – Beautiful Results!

 

Selling a Home in 2011? Tips from the Pros

Looking to get the most money for your home in 2011?

Experts say it boils down to two key points.  When selling your home there are only two elements you can control – price and presentation.

If you don’t want to keep lowering the price, a home must speak volumes of value and have a fabulous presentation.  Staging adds perceived value and provides the atmosphere home sellers are looking for when they want to invest in a property to call home.  In 2010, over and over again our staged home sold for more money and quicker than the competition.  Homes that had been on the market for over a year were staged and sold successfully.

But What do Real Estate Agents Say? This isn’t something that only we’ve experienced in 2010 – it’s being echoed by real estate agents and business experts alike.  AOL Real Estate’s What Works NOW recently released this video which echoes what other professionals are advising home sellers in 2011.

PRICING: Price for exactly what your home is worth from the start – a home that is overpriced will sell for less as it becomes subject to price reductions as it lingers on the market.

PRESENTATION: To sell successfully in 2011, homes will have to look much better than the competing neighbors’ properties. This video recommends making repairs and inexpensive upgrades and home staging.

Home Selling in 2011 will continue to be a price war and a beauty contest.  Our tag line  is “You can’t change market conditions or your location, but we can help you change the presentation of your home.” The professionally staged home stands out when viewed online and in person.

Staging costs less than most home sellers might guess – with consultations starting at $100, real estate professionals agree that hiring a home stager from the start and entering the market ready for the competition is a wise choice.

Staging is what your competition is doing.  In the past few weeks our company been approached by more real estate professionals than ever before — asking us about what our staging services entail and incorporating it into their 2011 plans.  As one agent said “I can’t afford to take a listing that won’t work with a home stager.  These listings sell so slowly or not at all — the marketing costs become too high.   I tell my sellers stage it or lower the price – there isn’t another option.”

If you are selling your home in 2011 — you can’t change the market, the competition or your location.  You CAN create a better presentation and therefore command a better price. A home selling strategy that will get your home sold in 2011!

Margaret Oscilia is a Professional Home Stager serving Salem Oregon and surrounding areas who specializing in helping home sellers stage to sell or re-design to live well.  Moving or improving? Creative Concepts and Contracting has the expertise to showcase your home’s full potential, stretch your budget, and maximize your time.

Professional Home Staging – Reliable Contractor Repairs – Beautiful Results!

Related Posts:

Can I Afford to Have my Home Staged?

Does Home Staging Really Help in 2011?

Want to Get Your Home Sold?  Get IN the Market!

 

Does Staging Make a Difference? A Salem Oregon Agent’s Viewpoint

When home stagers claim of more showings and quicker sales, sometimes it can seem “too good to be true”. Is it really worth the investment? How can you market your home in 2011 and get it sold?

Following is the experience of one Salem Oregon agent who while skeptical of staging claims gave it a try to see if it would help her clients.

I met with three of my clients recently who had vacant homes for sale.  The homes had been on the market for a small bit of time.  A few showings but not much.  I sat down with my clients individually and explained that most people begin looking on line before they begin seeing homes in person.    There is a ten second window to catch someone’s attention sufficient enough that they will click through  more pictures and decide to see the home.  Do … Read More

via ~Market Beat~

 

Come Grab My Cookies!

Want holiday cookies and no time to bake?

Want to have some wonderful cookies but don’t have time to bake?

Get out of the kitchen and participate in the Salem Multi Office Tour this Thursday.  On tour this week is area 40.  Bring your platter or tupperware and grab some goodies from each house.

Our staging is featured at one of the homes on tour (3240 Hillside Lane) so we’ll have some great cookies there (hmmm rum balls, biscotti or maybe some white chocolate macadamia?)

If you haven’t participated in the tour – don’t you want tons of agents touring your house in 2011 and getting lots of feedback for your sellers? It’s well worth the small amount of time invested!

This week, many agents will meet at French Press for coffee at 9:30 then head out on tour.  Or download the tour list from Paragon and tour at your convenience.  Just don’t forget your cookie containers!
If you know anyone that might to participate on the multi-office tour, contact Melina Tomson [melina@tomsonburnham.com].

Margaret Oscilia is a Professional Home Stager serving Salem Oregon and surround areas who specializing in helping home sellers maximize their equity when preparing to sell.  Moving or improving? Creative Concepts and Contracting has the expertise to showcase your home’s full potential, stretch your budget, and maximize your time.

Professional Home Staging – Reliable Contractor Repairs – Beautiful Results!

 

 

Carpet Allowances – A Shoot Yourself in the Foot Home Selling Strategy!

I’ll be getting in trouble with some real estate agents over this one, but I have strong opinions on the “carpet allowance” question! What does “carpet allowance” say to me?

• The seller doesn’t have the time or money to get new carpeting, so maybe I can negotiate the lower selling price.
• There may be other items that need repair or replacing that haven’t been done.
• If I’m not a handy or visual person, I’ll probably not be impressed by this home.  You’ve lost the “fall in love factor” – which is key to getting an offer.

Giving an allowance doesn’t change the first impression, gives another items to negotiate, and buyers ALWAYS overestimate the cost of potential repairs.

• Would you get married in a tuxedo that needed pressing and cleaning?
• Would you sell a truck that had been four-wheeling and not washed?
• Does that old carpet give the impression that you have meticulously cared for your home?

Here’s a perfect example!

Recently we were hired for a home staging consultation for a darling South Salem Oregon home.  It had been on the market for some time, was getting showings but no offers.  The owner wanted to know what else they could do to make it more desirable.

Do you get a "wow" feeling walking into a home with old carpet?

We rearranged some furniture, made some recommendations.

The the biggest problem was the carpeting.

It had traffic wear and was a blue-gray that looked anything but contemporary.

The owner said they were giving a carpet allowance of $3300.

Neutral stylish carpet makes rooms feel fresh and new

Hmmm –

I knew that replacing the carpeting would cost far less than that –

plus give them a wow when potential buyers walk in the door!

We called Jerry Havlinek of JK Carpet Center and this beautiful new carpeting was installed for about HALF of the offered carpet allowance!  These photos don’t do justice for the change in the ambiance of the home — and that speaks volumes to buyers!

What color of carpeting is good for home selling?

The bedroom before looked good compared to many listings online.

The carpeting would not appear neutral to someone that doesn’t love with the color blue however!

When choosing your carpeting, stick to a medium neutral beige in a warm tone for a broad buyer appeal.

Warm beige carpeting for home selling

(Or, just call Jerry of JK Carpets and ask him to bring samples that Creative Concepts would approve of!  Our clients get discounts too!)

By changing the carpet this home seller now has that “WOW!  This home is really nice!” feeling when everyone looks at it – online and in person. Not only was the carpet almost half the allowance, but the home now shows it is contemporary and move in ready – not almost perfect!

When selling YOUR home – make sure it says WOW – not fix me!  When selling your home you are selling so much more than just a structure – you’re selling a lifestyle and dream!  My dream home doesn’t include worn out carpet – does yours?

Can’t wait to hear that this house has sold soon – because we know it will!

Margaret Oscilia is partner and a Professional Home Stager with Creative Concepts – Home Staging and Contracting which offers home staging and interior design services throughout the Salem, Albany and Corvallis areas. Creating beautiful spaces to come home to, and winning strategies for home sellers is their specialty! 503-881-0886

 

Top Tips for Home Selling During the Holidays

Home Stagers can help when decorating for the holidays

We’ve written several blogs on home selling during the holidays recently, but came across this well written post, and also wanted to share it with our readers.  Yes – there are still homes selling and buyers looking in Oregon – even in December and January!

A real estate agent specializing in relocations in  Oregon, told me from her experience, there are more relocations in January than in any other month and always less homes available for sale.

So – if you want your home to sell, keep it on the market or get it on the market!  Here are some great points and for personalized assistance, our staging consultations start at $100 – a bargain for improving the sale-ability of your home!

Fall May Bring Serious Buyers

by Phoebe Chongchua

As the year winds down, many homeowners fear that now could be a bad time to sell their home. While it’s true that the holidays can deter some folks from house hunting and making a major purchase—don’t give up.

If your house is on the market, step up the action plan to draw attention to it. Don’t let the holiday blues make you feel like there’s no hope. Homes are sold and bought this time of year. But the ones that get snatched up are the ones that are enticing to buyers.

Because this is a very busy time of year with personal travel and holiday celebrations, many real estate experts note that if you have buyers dropping by your open house or making an appointment to view your home, there’s a good chance they’re serious buyers.

There are some things you can do to make your home more “showable”. We often say in the real estate industry, “the way you live in a home is not the way you stage a home.”

So, while this time of year often brings out all the holiday decor, there is such a thing as too much holiday cheer. No, I’m not the Grinch. It’s just that not all buyers celebrate the same holidays.

A good rule of thumb, is to keep decor simple and subtle. If you celebrate Christmas, go ahead and put a tree up but don’t put one up in every room. Remember that buyers will be looking at your home and imagining their own holiday celebrations there. So, be sure to leave them room to envision their lives in the home.

This goes for the outside too. Holiday lights can be placed outside very tastefully but ditch the huge inflatable characters that make it look like your yard is an amusement park. Instead, opt for a nice holiday wreath and some subtle seasonal decor. Keep in mind that curb appeal is what gets buyers in the door. If your home isn’t appealing from the outside, buyers won’t bother to stop for a look inside.

Stash the gifts. If you usually put them under the tree or around the house, save them for the day of your celebration. There are two reasons: presents take up precious floor space and they are a distraction. It’s a good idea to keep as many personal belongings as possible in a safe, private place.

Especially in cold weather areas, cinnamon pine cones or some other mild potpourris can be a pleasant welcome. But don’t go overboard with different fragrances in every room.

Another nice touch is to spruce up the mantle. However, if you usually hang stockings with your family’s names on them, you might consider using less personal ones while showing your home. It’s the same reason, stagers will put away your personal photos—to create a space where buyers can imagine their photos and belongings in.

Listing your home for sale during the holidays doesn’t have to make you blue; in fact it can truly brighten your spirits by putting some green in your bank account. Just be sure to focus on making your home a buyer’s dream this holiday season.

Published: November 12, 2010

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Phoebe Chongchua is an award-winning journalist, an author, customer service trainer/speaker, and founder of Setting the Service Standard, a customer service training and consulting program offered by Live Fit Enterprises (LFE) based in San Diego, California. She is the publisher of Live Fit Magazine, an online publication that features information on real estate/finance, physical fitness, travel, and philanthropy. www.LiveFitMagazine.com.

 

Related Posts:  Should I take my Home Off the Market for the Holidays?

House for Sale – Should I put up a Christmas Tree?

Margaret Oscilia is partner and a Professional Home Stager with Creative Concepts – Home Staging and Contracting which offers home staging and interior design services throughout the Salem, Albany and Corvallis areas. Creating beautiful spaces to come home to, and winning strategies for home sellers is their specialty! 503-881-0886